Clutch-controlling device for presses and the like



J. J. KIRVVI-N CLUTCH CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR PRESSES AND THE LIKE May 1925.

Filed Nov. 8. 1923 invenToT. John L). Kirwin byMMl M ATTW Patented May 19, 1225.

UNITED ST TES PATENT men],

JOHN J. KIBWIN, F BOSTON,1VIASSAOHUSETTS, ASSlIGrlW'JR TO REECE SHOE MA- I CHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CLUTCH-CONTROLLING, DEVICE FOR PRESSES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. November 8, 1923. Serial No. 673,536.

trolling the operation of presses and like machines. It is a common practise to provide the clutches for actuating punch presses with a treadle arranged so that when the treadle is depressed the clutch will be thrown into engagement and the machine will be operated. Many clutches used for this purpose are so constructed that they will remain operative so long as a treadle is depressed and will automatically become disengaged only when the treadle is raised.

A clutch of this type for operating a.

press is illustrated in United States Patent No. 1,228,834, June th, 1917, and in a later United States Patent No. 1,298,931, ltfarch 41th, 1919, is illustrated a clutch device of this nature which is constructed so that the clutch will be automatically thrown out of v engagement after the press has made one operation even though the treadle is'maintained depressed.

It is the object of my present invention to provide an improved form of clutch-controlling device of the type illustrated in the latter patent and in order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a press and my improved clutchcontrolling mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on substantially the line 22, Fig. 1 showing the clutch mechanism;

Fig. is a fragmentaryview illustrating the parts embodying my invention.

Inasmuch as the invention relates to the clutch-controlling; mechanism I have not thoughtit necessary to describe a complete press herein but have shownat 1 a portion of the frame of the press, the verticallymoving head of which is connected to a 'vertically-moving plunger 2 that is 1 given its vertical movement from a drlving shaft 3 by means of an eccentric 4 thereon, all as illustrated in the above-mentioned-patents.

The driving shaft 3 is actuated from a driving pulley 5 and the latteris adapted to be clutched to the shaft '3 by means of a'clutch device illustrated in Fig.2. This comprises a clutch dog 6 which is pivotally arranged in a recess in a collar 7 fast on the shaft 3 and which is adapted toengage any one of a number of shoulders 8 formed on the rotating power pulley 5, the clutch dog being acted on by a. spring-pressed plunger 9 which tends to swing it out into the path of the shoulders 8.

The clutch is disengaged by means of a cam shoe 1O co-operating with a projection 11, carried by the clutch dog 6. This shoe 10 is mounted ona swinging elbow lever 12 which is pivoted at 13 to an arm 1 1 extending from the frame, said: lever being acted .on by a spring 15 which normally tends to hold the shoe 10 inposition to be engaged by the projection 11 on the clutch.

dog. When the shoe is moved to the left Fig. 1 or into the dotted line position Fig. 3 then it is free from the projection '11 and the clutch will be-automatically coupled so that the shaft 3 will be driven from the pulley When the shoe is in thefull line position Fig. 1 it stands in the path of travel of the projection 11 so that at dpredetermined point in. the rotativefmovement of the shaft 3 the projectionll will engage the cam face of the shoe 10 and the latter will withdraw the clutch dog from .the

shoulder 8 thus disengaging thebe all as shown in the above mentioned patouts and form no part of the present inven-' tion, which relates to a novel connection be- 1 tween the lever 12 and thetreadle by which the clutch is controlled and so constructed that the lever 12 will be disconnected from the treadle as soon as the clutch is thrown into operation so that the clutch will be autmnatically disengaged at the end of one revolution, even depressed. a

The-lever 12 is provided with a projection 6 which is adapted to engage in a -notchs :though the tread'le remains '17 formed in a link connection 18,-the l-atter being pivotally connected at19 to an arm 7, 20 rigid on a, rock shaft 21, th'ezlatter hav v is confined between the forked end thereof shoefrom the projection lland allowing the clutch-to be engaged.

invention involves a novel consumetion-bywhich the link 18 is automat'icall-y' clisengagedfroin the lever 12 as soon as the clutch is engaged so thatthe shoe 11 will immediately return to-tlie full line position- Fig. '1 even though-the trea'clle is held depressed. This is accomplished by means of a radius-rod-24 which 'ispivoted to the link 18 at 25 and which extends through a pro jection 26; This projection may conven iently bethe head of the pivot pin 13 on which the lever-12 is pivotally mounted;

A spring 27" encircles the radius rod and that is pivoted to the link 18 and the head 26 andthe radius rod! is provided with check nu-ts28 thereon-by which it may bis-adjusted and retained in adj usted positi'oin The nuts 28 ontheradius rod will be so adjustedthat when the trea'dle is raised and the arm 12 is in the position shown inllig. 1 the-notched end'of the linki-18-will be in a position so that the notch'17 embraces the projectionl o' thereby coupling-the link 18- to'th'e lever 12! Inasmuch as: the pivot of the radius rod is 'a bove. the link however, it will be understood; that when the link 18- is moved to" theleft: by the depression ofthe treadle the pivot point:25e of the" radius rod Will be swung upwardly in the of a circle aboutthe shaft 13 as a center and such-upward:

movement will gradually lift theiright hand endgofi the link; 18 and' thereby disengage it fromethe projection-.161 I The pantsar'e so-constructed-thatthis dis engagement of the link 18 from the projfe'ction 16 will occur just before the treadle is I completelydepressed but after the lever" 12 has-been moved to the left far enough to? "clear the shoe 10 fromthe clutch dogproiection 11.

VS ith device, therefore itheact of the pressing the treadle 22 will'throw the clutch into operation and will also disrupt, the con-' nection between the treadle and the lever 12 so as to allow the spring 15 to return the shoe to its operative position thereby to en sure that the clutch will be disengaged at the'end of one revolution. lVhen the treadle isreleased the spring 23 will raise it and duringuthe resultant movement of the link 18 to the right the spring 2'1will force the notch 17 over the projection 16" again thus automatically coupling the link 18' to the lever 12 ready, for the next operation.

- The u per end 29" of. the arm 12 is bent laterally and carries an adjustable stop screw 30 which co-operates with the arm 11 to limit the swinging niovementof the lever 12in one direction; a

While I have ill ustrated a; selectedl ein shaft of a clutch by which the shaft is rotated,va spring+actuatedswinging arm'lia-v- .ing a: projection and a"- clutch-disengaging portion, means; for inovingithe. arm into in? operative positiomsaid means including a treadsle, a link connectedthcreto and having a notch normally engaging said projection,- arocking member, a radius arm. plVOliZtllff connected at oiieiend toythe link and slidable through the rockingmember, and-a spring encircling the radius rod and confined between the rocking member and the link} whereby when the tread le 1s depresed the turning movementofthe rocking arm will disengage the link from theprojection and when thetreadl'eis released the spring will cause a re-engjagemmit of the link with said projection.

2?; -The 1 combination. with an operating.

connected to the linkand. a nut on said ra dius-rod to: limit its movementathrough the head, whereby when [the treadle' is depressed the radius-armdisengages the link from. the projection;v f a 3. The combination witlrfa n; operating SlltftyOf a: clutch bywhicha theshaft is rotated,l a spring-actuated; arm.- pivotally mountedto swing: about! an axis at right anglessto that of-the'shaft, said ai -inha'ving a; proj e-ction {and 7' also a" clutchdisengaging; portion which moves inthe direction of the length of the shaft assaid; arm'sw ings,

treadle, alink. actuatedthereby, said link:

extending longitudinally of the shaft and having a notch normally engaging said pr0- jection, a radius arm pivoted co-axially With the swinging arm and pivotally connected to said link, whereby during the movement of the link caused by depressing the treadle the radius arm Will raise the link to disengage it from said projection thereby allowing the spring-actuated swinging arm to return to normal position and disengage the clutch.

In testimony whereof, I havesigned my name to this specification.

JOHN J. KIRWIN. 

